Game apparatus and method of play

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus for play by at least two players, having game pieces that are manually placed in at least four slideably mounted, apertured slats, each having at least four apertures for receiving one or more of the game pieces, and a base assembly for slideably mounting the slats, such that the slats can be moved, and said game pieces placed in said apertures, at the option of each of the players who take turns in playing the game. The game pieces are generally grouped in two different colors. The number of slats are generally the same as the number of apertures, and are preferably four or eight in number. The method of play by two players of apparatus involves each of the players taking turns that are selected from two possible moves: placing a game piece in one of the apertures on one of the slats or linearly displacing one of the slats one stop. A winner is determined whent a player has a predetermined number of game pieces in a predetermined arrangement, generally four or eight in a row, or in a diamond or other configuration. Also included is a virtual game board in which the game is controlled by a computer or group of computers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of games, and moreparticularly to a manually manipulatable game having pegs or balls asgame pieces, with apertured, slidable assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Virtually everyone is familiar with portable game devices of somekind, whether it be checkers, chess, chinese checkers or the like, inwhich pegs, marbles or the like are placed on a board each time a playerhas a turn. Other peg and marble games are also known, as shown by U.S.Pat. No. 3,870,311 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,879.

[0003] Board games, a common form of past time, have been relegated tomoney-making types of operations (like Monopoly) and, in today's world,are largely left for rainy days, or power failures. Typically, suchboard games lack the types of issues that are attractive to today'sperson, and thus are a mode of last resort.

[0004] Educational board games are also known. For example, U.S. Pat.No. 6,032,957 to Kyosaki shows a game for educating the players in theaspects of finance, investing and accounting.

[0005] However, such known game devices typically possess a static gameboard, in which the players have no ability to use a turn to modify thegame board.

[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providean unusual game apparatus, in which the game board surface can bechanged or altered by a player as that player's turn, rather than simplyplacing another game piece on the surface.

[0007] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide agaming apparatus and method of play, that permits bidirectional,slidably reassembly of the gaming surface, while nonetheless requiringthat gaming pieces resolve in a predetermined pattern for winning to bedetermined.

[0008] It is a still further object of the present invention to providea portable gaming apparatus for playing a game that providesmanipulation of the game board.

[0009] Finally, it is a yet further object of the present invention toprovide a computer-assisted version of the game apparatus, wherein theelements are virtual and created by software, but the gaming rules andmethods are the same as that shown in the physical version.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The various features of novelty which characterize the inventionare pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forminga part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use,reference should be had to the drawings and descriptive matter in whichthere are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of theinvention.

[0011] The foregoing objects and other objects of the invention areachieved through a game apparatus for play by at least two players,having game pieces that are manually placed in at least four slideablymounted, apertured slats, each having at least four apertures forreceiving one or more of the game pieces, and a base assembly forslideably mounting the slats, such that the slats can be moved, and saidgame pieces placed in said apertures, at the option of each of theplayers who take turns in playing the game. The object of the game is toarrive at a linear arrangement (i.e., a number in a row) or apredetermined configuration (e.g., a diamond).

[0012] Each player elects a color specific to a group of game pieces,and one is selected to open first. Opening can be determined by oneplayer selecting one piece from each group of colors, placing each suchpiece in a different hand, hiding them behind his/her back, while theother player picks a hand. The winner of the pick then opens.

[0013] The method of play by two players involves each of the playerstaking turns that are selected from two possible moves: placing a gamepiece in one of the apertures on one of the slats or linearly displacingone of the slats one stop. It should be appreciated that in this manner,the game board itself is reconfigured by a player. Thus, for example, ifone player has three in a row, by moving a slat, the three in a rowposition disappears, as shown in greater detail in connection with thedetailed description set forth below and the drawings appended hereto.

[0014] The complexity of play is different from a traditional boardgame, since a player may use his or her turn to reconfigure the board,thereby changing the dynamics of the piece arrangements. Likewise, bychanging the board either a position is enhanced or a new position isestablished, since the configuration of the board itself is therebyaltered.

[0015] A winner is determined when a player has a predetermined numberof game pieces in a predetermined arrangement, generally four or eightin a row, or in a diamond or other configuration.

[0016] Under the preferred embodiment, the number of slats are generallythe same as the number of apertures, and are preferably four or eight innumber. Likewise, winning is established generally by having four oreight in a row. Again, it should be appreciated that when a player hasthree or seven in a row, this does not automatically mean that thatplayer wins the next turn. This is because the other player may block byplacing a game piece on that row, or by moving one of the slats. Itshould further be appreciated that moving one of the slats may enhancethat player's own position (in, for example, aligning a row), or, forthat matter, may align the row in a way that allows the other player towin then, or on the next subsequent turn.

[0017] Also included is a virtual game board in which the game iscontrolled by a computer or group of computers. The manner of play isthe same, but the game is controlled by software, and the user entershis or her move by mouse or keyboard action.

[0018] It is thus a feature of the present invention to provide a gameapparatus that allows a player to elect from two options at his or herturn, either placing another game piece on the board or moving a slattedassembly one stop that actually reconfigures the board.

[0019] The foregoing and other features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood,however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes ofillustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, forwhich reference should be made to the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denotesimilar elements through the several views:

[0021]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus, in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing four slattedassemblies, four apertures, and game pieces assembled such that the darkcolor wins;

[0022]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game apparatus, in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the game boardsurface at commencement of play;

[0023]FIG. 3 is a breakaway view of one of the slatted assemblies andtheir directional orientation and location in the base assembly, inaccordance with a preferred embodiment of the subject invention;

[0024]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base assembly in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the subject invention;

[0025]FIG. 5 is a side, frontal view of a slatted assembly and itsdirectional location in the base assembly, in accordance with apreferred embodiment of the subject invention; and

[0026]FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a computer-aided version ofthe game apparatus, where the apparatus is virtual, and the game isplayed by two users on a single computer, or multiple users over theInternet or via an intranet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] In accordance with the subject invention, and with particularreference to FIG. 1, game device 50 is shown, in which the game boardhas been reconfigured to show a completion of play situation. Inparticular, game device 50 is comprised of a plurality ofslideably-mounted, apertured slats, in this embodiment, four in number,shown as items 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D, placed in base 10. Slat 2D is shown inan original, game starting position, indicating that, during play, ithas not been moved.

[0028] Each of slats 2A through 2D have corrugated bottom portions 14that are, in this embodiment, waivably pronounced to enable a “stop”that provides the slat's mobility bidirectionally, in either directionas shown by the arrow indicated in FIG. 1. (As shown in further detailbelow, base 10 has corresponding waived pronouncements to permitrelocation of the slats with a physical indicator (i.e., the relocationrealigns) of a move.)

[0029] Accordingly, during play, slats (2A through 2D) are enabled tomoved a “stop” representing a location in either of the two directionsindicated by the arrow. In particular, with reference to slat 2C, itshould be appreciated that this slat was moved, during play, one “stop”leftwardly, as indicated by its dislocation one “unit” or stop to theleft of slat 2D. Likewise, slat 2B was moved during play two stopsrightwardly, and slat 2A two stops leftwardly.

[0030] In this embodiment as shown in FIG. 1, game pieces 6A through 6Eare “dark” in coloration, representing one player's pieces, and in theparticular apertures 8, placed there, turn by turn, by that playerduring play. Likewise, the “light” game pieces 4A through 4E were placedby the other player in the particular apertures 8 during play. The slats2A, 2B and 2C were moved during play. The result of game piece locationand slat movement is the linear arrangement of four game pieces 6A, 6B,6C and 6E in a diagonal row, thereby indicating that the “dark” pieceplayer has won the game.

[0031]FIG. 2 shows the game board in the initial stage, prior tocommencement of play. There are no game pieces indicated, because playhas not commenced, and slats 2A through 2D are in the “opening”position, in that the board, in this case a “four by four” in terms ofnumber of apertures 8 and stops on the slats 2A through 2D, are allaligned in a square, on base 10. It should be appreciated that whilethis demonstrates a preferred “opening” or game-commencing position,other configurations of the apparatus can be presented as an openingwithout deviating from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention, asone of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate.

[0032]FIG. 3 reveals a perspective view of slat 2D, having waivedpronouncements 14 on the bottom surface, and slides 16 that fit intocorresponding slidable regions 18 on base 10. It should be appreciatedthat while only slat 2D is shown in FIG. 2, the other slats 2A through2C also have the same configuration, and fit into corresponding slidableregions 18 on base 10. As a result of the waived pronouncements 14 andcorresponding waived pronouncements 17 on base 10, each time a slat (2Athrough 2D) is moved in either of the bidirections shown by the arrow,the waived pronouncements rise the slat above the game board untilresting in the next location. In this manner, a “stop” is provided,since realignment of the game board results after each of thebidirectional moves has been completed.

[0033]FIG. 4 shows, in greater perspective, base 10, comprising slidableregions 18 for receiving slides 16, and waived pronouncements 17 forcarrying the slatted waived pronouncements 14.

[0034] Likewise, FIG. 5 shows the perspective separation of slat 2 dfrom base 10, in which slide 16 is shown, and the relationship betweenwaived pronouncements 14 and 17 is made visibly evident.

[0035] Lastly, it should be appreciated that the game may be played in avirtual manner, in which the game is software created, and played byhardware control on a personal computer 24A, or by two personalcomputers 24A and 24B connection optionally by way of the Internet or anintranet. The method of play is always the same.

[0036] With respect to the method of play, after each player selects agame color, and the first to start is chosen in any of a variety ofknown manners, each player is permitted to choose between placing a gamepiece in an aperture or moving one of the slots. Game continues until apredetermined configuration is achieved. The predetermined configurationmay be a line of a number of game pieces that depends from the size ofthe board, or a geometric shape, like a diamond.

[0037] The game board may have any of a number of slats and apertures,without deviating from the spirit or scope of the invention. Generally,the number retains a square arrangement, and is ideally 4 by 4 or 8 by8, although other configurations are permitted in accordance with theinvention.

[0038] While there have been shown, described and pointed outfundamental novel features of the invention as applied to preferredembodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention,therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

I claim:
 1. A game apparatus for play by at least two players,comprising: (a) a plurality of manually placeable game pieces; (b) atleast four slideably mounted, apertured slats, each having at least fourapertures thereupon for receiving one or more of the game pieces; and(c) a base assembly for slideably mounting said slats, such that saidslats can be moved, and said game pieces placed in said apertures, atthe option of each of said at least two players, in serial, turnedorder.
 2. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of gamepieces are grouped into two groups distinguished by each grouppossessing a different color.
 3. The game apparatus of claim 1, whereinsaid slats number in total the same number as said apertures.
 4. Thegame apparatus of claim 3, wherein said number is four.
 5. The gameapparatus of claim 3, wherein said number is eight.
 6. A method ofplaying a game by two players on a game apparatus having a game surfacecomprised of a plurality of apertured slats, slidably mounted in a baseassembly such that each of said slats can be moved in a bidirectional,linearly displaceable, sequential, stopwise manner that reassembles theappearance of the game surface, comprising: (a) selecting a colorspecific to each of the players; (b) wherein each of said players, inserial, turned order, selects a move selected from one of two possiblemoves, said two possible moves comprising: (1) placing a game piece inone of said apertures on one of said slats; and (2) sliding one of saidslatted portions linearly in one of the two bidirectional manners, tothe next, sequential stop; (c) repeating step (b) until one of theplayers has placed a predetermined number of game pieces in apredetermined arrangement.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the numberof slats and number of apertures are the same.
 8. The method of claim 7,wherein, the number is four.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein thenumber is eight.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein the arrangement islinear
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the arrangement is linear, andthe linear number equals the number.
 12. The method of claim 6, whereinthe arrangement is a diamond.
 13. The method of claim 6, wherein theapparatus is virtual, presented in a computer-assisted manner, and themethod is practiced by entering data via a controller.